Call: (08) 9250 4575
Mon - Sat:
8.30am - 4pm
Closed Sundays
until further notice
166 Wilson Road, Middle Swan
Perth, Western Australia
08 9250 4575
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Hello and welcome to DECEMBER! I'm sure when I last blinked it was July... I guess that's the way things go!We've been lucky that the weather has been MOSTLY mild so far; and things in our garden are growing well. I hope they are for you, too! We'd love to see photos of how things are coming along in your garden; and we're re-launching our monthly photo competition. There will be a $50 voucher up for grabs each month. More information below - and remember you've got to be in it to win it so get snapping! With Christmas day not so far away, in this newsletter we've got some ideas for gifts for gardeners. And over the holiday season we'll be having some time off - please note the dates below:- Christmas Opening Hours for The Green Life Soil CoOpen December 23rd (Saturday) If you've got some time off over the Christmas/New Year break remember these dates & come and grab your garden goodies between 8.30 - 4.00pm on the days we're OPEN!) We'd like to thank you for your support in 2017 and look forward to seeing you soon! The last of this year's workshops are coming up - Medicine from Your Garden this Saturday (2nd December) and Companion Planting and Crop Rotation (10th December). It's a great learning opportunity to get more out of your garden, so why not come along? More info and bookings in the link here.
So all the best for a safe and relaxing Christmas & happy December gardening. Cheers from all of us to all of you. Linda & the Team @ The Green Life Soil Co In this NewsletterWorld Soil Day
World Soil Day - FREE Event @ Green Life
We'll have the microscope set up and Paul can have a look for microbial activity in your soil. We can do pH tests and if you bring in a leaf or two from your garden, we can do a brix test - an indicator of the health of your plants. We'll hold informal short talks and be on hand to offer advice on soil improvement. Join us for a cuppa and a chat - we hope to see you there! What to Plant in DecemberIt is possible to grow vegies over Summer - however be aware that they will need extra water and TLC (and probably some shade) over the next couple of months.
Check out our Growing Guides on our website for more information - but here are some ideas for what to plant now:
It's time for succession planting of summer crops so you'll have an extended harvest season beyond that of your first planting. If raising from seed you'll need to make sure that soil is kept moist. Smaller seeds (eg. carrot) are quite tricky at this time of year as they can dry out so fast. A layer of shadecloth directly over the soil may help keep in some moisture. Remove the shadecloth once seedlings have emerged. We have this week received a NEW order from Eden Seeds, with some more unusual useful and edible vegies, herbs and trees. Stock will move quickly so come on in and have a look what we've got. Jobs to do in the December Garden
Photo CompetitionWe have revamped our monthly photo competition. Each month (from 16th of each month to the 15th of the following month) there will be one $50 voucher awarded at random to a customer that sends us in a photo (or photos) of their garden. Because we'll be sharing them on social media and in the newsletter, we'd love a few lines telling us something about your garden; and what Green Life products you've used. I love seeing pictures of what other people have grown - and it is always inspiring to new gardeners too - so share the love and you might just be rewarded! Set a reminder each month to send one if you like... the more the merrier! Follow our Facebook page (Green Life Soil Company) or @greenlifesoil on instagram to see what's being shared. We've received some amazing photos so far. Last month Jaci E. was our winner. She's having some great results with her vegies planted in September using our Square Foot Gardening mix. Thanks Jaci for the updated photos and congratulations!
Christmas Gift Ideas For the gardener in your life - we've got some stocking stuffers they'll love. How about gardening gloves? A bundle of seeds? Fertiliser? A worm farm? A selection of lovely herbs and a bag of potting mix? A bale of pea straw? (you've got to admit it would look kinda nice under the Christmas tree) A pair of socks - stuffed with lucerne pellets? If those ideas are just plain silly - there's always GIFT VOUCHERS. Our vouchers have no expiry date and you can pick one up in store; or you can buy them online (and they'll be emailed to the recipient). It doesn't get much easier than that to spread the joy!Vegie Mix - It's Different!
We've had one or two customers question this. I guess we're conditioned to think a good fertile soil should be black - but that isn't necessarily the case. What a soil (or mulch) LOOKS like is not always good indication of how it may perform. Our new mix is a little heavier and 'tighter' than is used to be, but we'd like to reassure you that when we make a change to our recipes, we don't do so lightly. We're constantly assessing new inputs and experimenting to see what we can do to make our mixes better. We have worked for some time on improving our mixes to lower the pH, lowering phosphorus and sodium levels, and providing a wide range of short and long term nutrition that is balanced for optimum growth. Our Vegie Mix now contains a higher mineral content than before. There's a mix of coarse river sand, clay and silt in the mix. We use the highest quality compost we have been able to find, and a smaller amount of blended manure. We're using Charlie Charcoal (biochar) as well as the compost; and of course Rocky Rock Dust and Cassies Clay. To this, we add fish hydrolysate, worm whiz, and our own blend of additional minerals.
The picture to the right is the same patch of corn - photo taken 27.11.17. Should you have any queries or concerns over the performance of our soils, we'd love to hear from you. We strive to deliver a greener garden to you - and we're here to help if there's ever any issues. VIP Special Offer
Valid one per customer and please ask our team for the offer. Valid until close of business 30th December 2017 (we're closed on the 31st). And a reminder - you can pick up our Certified Organic Vegetable Mix (at standard retail prices) from your local stockist: Beaufort Garden World (Inglewood)
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Also - for customers North of the river, as of this week you can find our Certified Organic potting mix stocked at Waldecks in Stirling and Kingsley. I hope that makes it nice and handy for you to stock up when you need it. 
5th December marks World Soil Day - a day to recognise the importance soil health plays in our lives and the life of our planet. To mark the occasion, we're holding a FREE event at Green Life on SUNDAY, 3RD DECEMBER (9.30 - 12.30pm). Feel free to drop in and chat to us about soil - bring in a sample of your soil if you like.
We have 4m wide 70% white shadecloth in stock; and will (hopefully by Christmas - depending on shipment arrival) have 50% white shadecloth in stock. In our opinion (and in the opinion of the shadecloth distributor!) 30% shadecloth so often recommended on gardening shows is totally inadequate for Perth. We use 70% in our own garden and it works well for us. If your garden is sheltered and receives some shade from trees or surrounding structures, 50% might work for you. White shadecloth is recommended for plants as it doesn't affect the light spectrum; darker colours of shadecloth are more comfortable for humans but for plants - lighter is better (you'll get better growth).
Basil, Beans, Beetroot, Capsicum, Chilli, Carrots, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fennel, Ginger, Leek, Lettuce, Melons, Okra, Potato, Pumpkin, Rocket, Radish, Silverbeet, Spring Onion, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Zucchini
It's such a busy time right now who's got much time for gardening chores, right? Hopefully the work you've done over the last couple of months will pay off and you can spend time in your garden ENJOYING It with friends and family over Christmas. Here's a reminder of some basic jobs to keep things looking green:
Customers who have used our mix for several years may have noticed that our Certified Organic Vegetable Mix looks a little different to what it used to. (Photo to right is corn seedlings in our garden - taken 30.10.17)
The whole point is our mix is complete - we don't recommend you add additional manure or compost - or anything really (except maybe for light liquid feeding of your vegies) for a growing season or two. It's simply not necessary and in some cases may even prove detrimental. 
Interested in trying our Vegie Mix for yourself? For the month of December, VIP's can pick up 5 bags (in store only) for $40. Save $9. 
